Plant for manufacturing ceramic products



i 16435582 Sept. 6 1927* w, HANLEY, JR

PLANT FOR MANUFACTURING CERAMIC PRODUCTS Filed June 2, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 1 vI L4 1.9 Crane/ua] Staray Z! 8 ||IIIIIIIIII|||||||||||||||||||||||||Ii|||I.|||||||IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 5,

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6 192 u Sept 7 w. l.. HANLEY, JR

PLANT FOR MANUFACTURING CERAMIC PRODUCTS Filed June 2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Sept.. 6, 1927.,

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WILLIAM LEE HANLE'Y, JR., .0F BRADFORD, PENNSYLVANIA.

KAILA'NTFOR MANUFACTURING CERAMIC PRODUCTS.

Application led June 2, 1925. Serial No. 34,313.

The object of my invention is to provide a brick making plant, comprising among its members a brick making machine, drier, and firing kiln of the tunnel car type,=arranged in such manner that the bricks as they come from the brick making machine are loaded directly upon tunnel cars, car# 4ried on exterior tracks, and are conveyed in a direct and practically straight line to j and through the drier, after which the cars are transferred to the tunnel kiln and passed longitudinally therethrough, to be preheated, lired and partially cooled therein, the cars being then transferred back to the exterior tracks and carried to an unloading point located closely .adjacent to the brick machine, the empty cars beingreloaded and the operation being practically a continuous operation, in which the cars always move either forward or laterally and never in a reverse direction. In other words, the path of movement of the tunnel kiln cars is substantially continuous from the loading point through the drier and kiln and back to the loading poiiit without any retrograde steps and without any resetting of the bricks after thejnitial setting of the green bricks at the forming machine.

In carrying out my invention, I preferably provide a plurality of exterior tracks arranged parallel to and adjacent too the kiln, and at each end of the kiln I. provide suitable means for transferring the tunnel cars from 4the exterior tracks to lthe kiln tracks at one end of the kiln, and from the kiln tracks to the exterior tracks at the other end of thekiln. The brick machine is located on the side of the exterior tracks opposite the kiln and near the center of length of said tracks, and the off-bearing belt extends transversely of the exterior tracks and over the same at a sufficient height to permit the tunnel cars to pass beneath it. Between the off-bearing belt and one of said transfer means, I provide a drier extendinof over portions of the exterior tracks, the drier being located preferably adjacent to the transfer meanS of the exterior tracks @Xt/ending in e to the off-bearing belt'.

substantially straight line from theoff-bearing belt to and through the drier. I also provide an unloading platform adjacent to the off-bearing belt and between it and the other transfer means at the opposite end of the kiln, and this unloading platform also extends transversely of the exterior tracks and sufficiently above the same to permit the tunnel cars to pass beneath. In connection with the unloading platform I provide a craneway, or its equivalent, for transporting the fired bricks from the unloading platform across over the top of the kiln to the shipping and storage point, which is located on the opposite side of the kiln and v'exterior tracksfrom the brick machine, thus leaving a portion of the plant adjacent to the brick machine clear for the reception,` preparation and storage of the materials for the manufacture of the bricks.

According to my invention I also provide sufficient exterior trackage to enable the kiln to beoperated continuously seven days in the week, regardless of the stoppage of the brick machine.

My invention also includes certain details of construction and operation hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanyingdrawings which illustrate one embodiment of my invention, A v

Fig. 1 represents a nltl View nfa brick making plant embodying my invention, the various elements being indicated diagrammatically therein. i l

Fig. 2 represents a cross sectional view of the plant on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, adjacent Fig. 3 is a similar cross sectional view adjacent to the unloading platform. l l

Referring to the dra-wings, 1 representsv the kiln, which is preferably of the car tu'nnel type and provided with a track, 2, indicated in dotted lines in Fig, 1, extending therethrough. At each end of the kilnI preferably provide a transfer track, indicated at 3, and` 4, each .ofsaid tracks being provided with a transfer truck indicated at 5 and 6, respectively. The transfer tracks, 3 and Il, extend laterally. at one side of the kiln and I provide a plurality of tracks, in this instance two tracks, 7 and 8, extending from one transfer track to the other, substantiallyfparallel to the kiln and adjacent les thereto. 9 represents the brick machine shown diagrammatically herein and which may be of any desired type.` For example, it may be ofthe type generally used for the manufacture of stillv` mud bricks and prof `vided with the usual cutting device indito lthe slippery, greasy character of t e bricks it was thought im ractical to pile them more' than two tiers high. After passing through the drier, where most of the occluded water was driven olf and the teinperature of the bricks had been raised to approximatel 200 F., the bricks were allowed to coo, on exterior tracks, to about `90 F., or to such 'a degreel that they could be conveniently handled.. The bricks were then reset on tunnel kiln cars and passed into the kiln where the heat lost invnecessary cooling to reset them had to be restored in the preheating zone.

I avoid all 4of the foregoing difficulties `with their attendant increase in labor, and -loss of heat and load the wet bricks directly on tunnel vkiln cars Where they remain until the finished product is ready for the market. The dried bricks are also placed directly in the kiln without any appreciable .loss of heat, thus expediting the heating of the bricks in the preheating zone of thevkiln. In the former plants it was also customary to transfer the drier cars with their green wet brick to transfer trucks in order to de- I liver the drier cars to the tracks extending `through'the drier or driers.

This may be practicable where only a few layers of bricks are placed upon a car, but in order to obtain maximum eiciency from t a plant of this character, it is desirable to stack the bricks to` a considerableheight, for

` example, twelve to sixteen rows of bricks.

As the moist bricks are coated with oil or another lubricant, as they pass through the die of the brick` making machine, they are extremely slippery, especially when piled to a considerable height, and are apt to skid or' 'move sidewise if the car is subjected to any appreciabl jar, such as inevitably happens in transporting a car by means of a transferriii truck, and the eiect of transferring`r cars o these moist, undried bricks is to frequently cause a lateral movement of the layers upon each other, which may result in the vaccuracy of their form, or,

y by an electric motor, an `nected to the cars by a chainor other suitwhat is more serious, disturbing the equilibrium of the load so that the bricks will -topple olf the car in the drier or in the kiln and cause what is termed a wreck. -Such wrecks result in the destructionl of a ylarge part ofthe load of bricks, but they also tie -up the plant to a greater or lesser extent,as the drier or the kiln in which the Wreck occurs must be cooled suiliciently to permit employees to enter and clear the tracks. This takes considerable time in lthe case of a drier, jbut in the case of a wreck in the kiln, it requires about two days to cool the kiln and remove the dbris and two additional days to i-eheat the kiln and get the plant in operation; so that these wrecks are very serious in their effect on production, and one of the objects'of my invention is vto -eliminate the possibility of such wrecks;` To

this end, the exterior tracks, 7 and 8, extend in a substantially straight line fromthe oilbearing belt to and throu h the drier, indicated at 13, which is pre erably located adjacent to one of the transfer tracks, in-this case the transfer track, 4, so that the cars can be moved in a straight line from the off-- bearing belt into and through the drier, upon either of saidtracks, without transferring the cars until after they leave `the drier, when the bricks are in a sufficiently hard condition not to be effected by' the transfer. p In order tol move the cars to and Athrough the drier with the4 least possible. jar, I prefer to prbvide a third track, indicated at 14, between the tracks, 7 and 8, on which is located a locomotive, dpreferably lo erated M able means when it is desired to move the cars forward.A Iprefer to use an lelectric locomotive indicated at15 in Fig. 1, having suiicient weight to give it the pro er amount of traction on the track,`14, t e electricl motor being especially convenient and desirable in securing the gradual starting of the locomotiveiso that it will not undulyjjar the bricks on the cars. The locomotive is refer-'ably so constructed that it will .pass neath the olf-bearing belt and the unloading platform as will be hereinafter-described. r'l'he track, 14, is preferably extended from the transfer, 3, to the drier, 13, but does not enter the drier., y l f Adjacent to the oil-bearing belt I provide suitable platforms, 16, on which the operators may stand when unloading the cars on either of the tracks, 7 or 8, and .it will be n oted that as the olf-bearing belt extends at' 'right angles to the tracks and over the same,

the bric s may be loaded onto the cars by what is termed a quarter turn movement that is to say, the operators are not re uired to move their bodies throu h more t an a quarter turn in takinv the ricks from the olf-bearing belt and placing them 4upon the which may e con# car. This is a distinct advantage and makes for speed and eiiciency in hacking the bricks on the cars.l Adjacent to the off-bearing belt and between it and t-he transfer track, 3, I provide an unloading and sorting platform, indicated vat 30, which preferably extends across the exterior tracks, 7 and 8, at a sufficient height above the same so thatthe tunnel cars may be passed beneath it. -As a matter offact, I prefer 'to have the unloading and sorting'platforms sufficiently high to permit .cars bearing approximately half of their load of burned bricks to pass beneath the same, in order that after removing the upper layers down to a certain point the cars may be pushed beneath the unloading platform on either side of the tracks, 7 or 8, and another full car may be brought upon th'opposite side, thus enabling the unloading to proceed from four cars on two tracks at once.

1 I prefer to provide, adjacent to the unloading and sorting platform, a plurality of workmens platforms indicated at 17, and 18, respectively, for this purpose. From the unloading platforms the burned bricks are conveyed to any suitable point for shipment or storage. I prefer to provide a craneway of any suitable type, as a monorail or ordinary craneway, extending ,from above the unloading and sorting platform perpendicularly to the tracks, 7 and 8, and over the top of the kiln, 1, to a' shippingpand storage point located on the opposite side of the kiln, fromv the tracks 7 and .8 and brick machine, 9. 'In

this instance, I have shown in Fig. l an ordinary craneway at 19, adjacent to which is located a railed track indicated at 20, connected with a railway system for the accommodation of freightl cars into which the bricks may bel loaded from the crane, and I have also indicated a storage room or warehouse at 21, into which the bricks may be carried by the crane and stored if it is not desjred to ship them immediately.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a crane, 22 of the monorail'type, running on the rail, 19a, and provided with a lifting yoke, 23, and hooks, 24, for engaging eyes or slots, 25 in the end plates of vplatforms or boxes, 26, by means of which a considerable quantity of bricks` may be elevated and carriedto the point of shipment, as the freight car indicated at 27. By locating the shipping and storage station on the bpposite side of. the kiln from the exterior tracks, 7 and 8, the opposite side of the kiln is left entirely free for the reception, preparation and storage of the materials entering into the manufacture of the brick. It will be understood that as soon asv the tunnel cars are emptied at the unloading and sorting platforms, 16, they are moved in the direction of the arrows on tracks 7 and 8, beneath the off-bearing belt,

` wherethey are loaded with the green brick,

and are moved forward in a direct line to ner.

and through the drier. As each car is pushed into the drier one is removed from the drier and is placed upon, the transfer truck., 6, and transferred to the kiln tracks and pushed into the kiln in any desired man- The kiln is kept full of cars so that p as one car is pushed into the kiln from the transfer truck, 6, a car is pushed out ofthe other end of the kiln onto the transfer truck, 5, bearing its load of completely burned and partially cooled bricks, and such car is then transferred to either of lthe tracks 7 or 8 and gradually moved to the unloading platform. The kiln is thereby kept in step, so to speak, with the drier or vice versa. In other words, for every car Which is moved into the drier, at stipulated intervals, one is removed therefrom and at the same time a car. is placed in the kiln and one is removed from the. kiln. Also as one is loaded one is unloaded. Thus it Y will be seen that during the operation of the forming machine there is a continuous procession of cars from the forming machine to and through the drier, to and through the kiln and back to the forming machine, all moving at stated intervals.

In order to secure eliciency in the opera'- tion of av plant having a tunnel kiln, it is extremely important that the kiln should run continuously and as it is not-,possible to run f the entire plant continuously, it is necessary that storage space be provided for a sufricient amount of unfired bricks to keep -the kiln supplied while the remainder of the plant is not in operation and to accommodate t-he cars of fired brick removed from the kiln y during the same period. My improved plant is admirably adapted to meet this situation. These tunnel kilns are of great length, usually approximatelyl 400 feet, more or less, and by arranging the exterior tracks parallel thereto between the transfer tracks, there is provided an extensive portion of the tracks, 7 and 8, leading from the off-bearing belt to and through the drier, suiicient to accommodate the required number of cars to supply .the kiln and keep it in continuous operation when the rest of the plant is closed down, as Sunday, thus providin sufficient cars for the operation of the kiln or twenty-four hours. Obviously this will also take care of the operation of the kiln overnight in case the full twenty-four hours during the six days of the week.l 7

The location ofy the unloading platform, 16, also adjacent to the center, longitudinally, of the tracks, 7 and 8, and adjacent to the off-bearing belt. also provides an extensive length of the tracks, 7 and 8, between the transfer tracks, 3, and the unloading pflatform or sorting table, which will accommodate the cars of lired brick removed from the kiln during the twenty-four hour period. as Snday, and of course will readily accomliN) . brick making machine is not operated for thel breakage of the pulling machine or the conmodate the cars removed during the night if the brick machine is not run for the full twenty-four hours of the day. j With this arrangement of the plant, therefore, it is possible to run the kiln continuously7 without a loss of heat or lowering of temperature of any part of it, whether the brick machine is in operation or not, and 'a great sav.-

` l .ing of heat as well as a greatly increased output is thereby secured.

I have heretofore stated that I prefer to advance the cars, especially from the offbearing belt into the drierby means of an electric locomotive, indicated at 15, and op-` erating upon its own track located between adjacent tracks for the tunnel cars, and this is my preferred arrangement. In addition to the advantages of this method of car propulsion hereinbefore stated, it may also be `noted that a further and great advantage is 'that should a car or series of cars become stuckl and refuse'to move owing to some obstruction' on the rails or otherwise,v as occasionally happens, the wheels of theloco motive will simply turn ontheir own rail while the locomotive will remain stationary and no injury to the cars or to the 'locomotive will result. Where pulling machines of the winding drum type are employed if the cars become stuck, the result is the neet-ions between it and the cars, with the danger of serious accident and perhaps loss of life. Where tractors not vmounted on rails are employed if the cars become stuck,

operating on its own tracks and being ablev or thepload is greater` than the tractor is able to pull, the tractor is apt to skid into vthe adjacent cars vand roduce a wreck, with the loss'of output `an at least a partial interruption of the operation of the plant. I

'have' found,therefore, by practical. experiment, that the arrangement herein shown and described is particularly desirable and efficient for the, reasons stated. vFurthermore, by the use of an electric locmotive to vpass beneath the oif-bearing belt and unloading platform, single cars can be picked up and moved from the forming machine to and into the `-drier and from the 'transfer track 3 to the unloading platform. Such an arrangement and operation'is not possible where the locomotive operates on the same track with the cars.

It will be understood that the kiln is pro-v vided with suitable heating means for ef- .viding a continuous closed circuit yIt will also be understood that by provid. ing a continuous path of movement for the kiln cars and moving a car directly into the kiln from the drier, practically all of the heat imparted in the drier is retained, .which obviates the necessity of restoring lost heat and driving off iiygroscopically absorbed moisture, as where the bricks are allowed to cool for resettin from drier, cars to kiln cars.' The heating costs are thereby materially reduced and the cars canbe passed through the kilnl at a more rapid rate, thus increasing the capacity ofthe plant. lI have previously stated'that in order to yobtain maximum efficiency from a plant of this character, it is deslrable to stack the bricks to a considerable height on the kiln trucks, forlexample, 12 to 16 tiers. 12 to 16 tiers or rows are what is knwn as a kiln load and where I refer to a kiln load of bricks in the claims,`it will be understood that it is a load consisting of twelve or morev tiers or rows of bricks as distingushed from the ordinary drier load of two rows of bricks on a pallet.

Whi'le my invention is peculiarly advantageous for the manufacture of stiff mud t bricks, I wish it' to be understood that it may be employed also for the manufacture of pressed brick or any other kind of brick.

What I claim-and desire to secure by Letters Patentis: y

1. In a plant for manufacturingstiif mud ceramic products, the combination of a burning kiln of they tunnel type having a f track` forl tunnel cars extending l)therethrough, an exterior track fork tunnel cars substantially parallel thereto, transferring meansat each end of said kiln. and exterior. A. tracks for transferring the tunnel cars from 105 one to the other, of a forming machine loj `cated adjacent to the exterior track and near the center of itsA length and provided with an olf bearing belt for conveying the moist bricks to tunnel cars on said exterior track, of a drier located in the line of the exterior" track between the o' bearing'belt land one of said transfer means, and `havin its discharge end directly adjacent to sai transfer means wherebyv the: cars of dry products are transferred directly from the clrrto the kiln without' material loss effi" ea v l 2. In a plant for the -manufacture of stiffi mud ceramic products, the combination with a burning kiln of thetunnel type, la. forming machine for said products and means proath of movement for tunnel cars from the vrming machine through theA drier, directly to the kiln, through t e kiln and back to the forming machine whereby the drier and kiln may be operated in step' with reach other.

3. In a plant for the manufacture of `stilir mud ceramicproducts, `the combination withA 13 fill) acarrea a burning kiln of the tunnel type, a forming machine for said products located at one side ofthe kiln and near the center of its length, a drier located adjacent to one end of the kiln and means providing a continuous path of movement lfor tunnel cars from the'forming-machine to and through the drier, directly therefrom to the kiln, through the kiln and back to the forming machine,-

including storage trackage extending from. the forming machine to the drier and from the deliver end of the kiln to the forming machine wliereby the drier and kiln may be continuously operated in step with each other independent of the forming machine.

4c. ln a plant for manufacturing sti' mud ceramic products, the combinations with a burning kiln of the tunnel type, having a track for tunnel cars extending longitudinally therethrough, an exterior track for tunnel cars located alongside of the kiln and substantially parallel thereto, transferring means at each end of the kiln for transferring tunnel cars between the exterior track and the kiln track', of a forming machine located adjacent to the exterior track and near the center of its length, an olf-bearing belt for conveying the moist bricks to. the tunnel cars on said exterior track, and a drier located in the line of the exterior track between said obearing belt and one of said transfer means, said exterior track passing from the olf-bearing belt in a substantially straight line and without interruption to and through the drier.

5. In a plant for manufacturing stiff mud ceramic products, the `combination with a burning kiln of the tunnel type, having a track for tunnel cars extending longitudi- `nally therethrough, an exterior track for tunnel cars located alongside of the kiln and substantially parallel thereto, transferring means at eachend of the kiln for transferring tunnel cars between the exterior track and the kiln track, of a forming ma-lchine located adjacent to the exterior' track and near the center of its length, an off-bearing belt for conveyingfthe moist bricks to the tunnel cars lon said exterior track, and a drier located in the line .o f the exterior track'between said off-bearing belt and one .h

of said transfer means, said exterior track passing from thev off-bearing belt in a substantially straight line and without interruption. to and through the drier, and an unloading station for receiving the fired bricks from the tunnel cars located between the olf-bearing belt' 'and the `other transfer means. i

6. In a plant for manufacturing stiff' mud ceramic products, the combination with aburnin `kiln of the tunnel type, having a track or tunnel cars extending longitudinally therethrough, an exterior track for tunnel cars located alongside of the kiln andv 'substantially parallel thereto, transferring means atk each end of the kiln for transferring tunnel cars between the .exterior track and the kiln track, ofa forming machine located adjacent to the exterior track and near the center of its length, an oli'- bearing belt for-conveying the moist bricks to the tunnel cars on said exterior track, and a drier located in the line of the exterior track between said oE-bearing beltl and one of said transfer. means, said exterior track passing from the off-bearing belt in a substantially straight line and without interruption to and through they drier, an unloading station for receiving the fired bricks from the tunnel cars located between the olf-bearing belt and the other transfer means, 4

substantially parallel thereto, transferring' means at each end of the kiln for transferring tunnel cars between the exterior track and the kiln track, of a forming machine located adjacent to the exterior track and near the center of its length, an oH-bearing belt for conveying the moist bricks to thel tunnel cars on said exterior track, and a drier located in the line of the exterior track between said olf-bearing belt and one ,ofl

saidv transfer means, said exterior track passing fromlthe obearing belt in asubstantially'straight line and without inter-A ruption to and through the drier, and an,-

unloading station for receiving the fired bricks from the tunnel cars located between the olf-bearing belt and the other transfer means, a shipping station and storage warehouse located on the side of the kiln opposite the exterior track and conveying means movable transverselyof the kiln and exterior track and over the kiln for conveying the fired bricks froml the unloading station to the shipping stationand storage wareouse.

8. In a plant for manufacturing still' mud ceramic products, the combination with a burning kiln of the tunnel type, having a track for tunnel cars extending longitudinally therethrough, o f an exterior track yfor tunnel cars arranged alongside of the kiln and substantially parallel thereto, a forming machine, an olf-bearing belt extending transversely over said exterior track and above the level of the tunnel cars thereon, said belt being disposed substantially perpendicular to the ki v j n and adjacent to the central portion of its length, transfer means at each A end ofthe kiln for transferring tunnel cars between the exterior track andthe kiln throug'h`the`drier and 'dried before being,Y

track, a drier located in alignment with and enclosing a portion of the exterior track be tween the off-bearing belt and one of said transfer means, the portion of said trackbetween the olf-bearing belt and the .discharge end offsaid drierv being uninterrupted and extending in aA substantially straight line, and an unloading station on the line of the lterior track adjacent to the olf-bearing 9. In a vplant for manufacturing stiff ceramic roducts, the combination with a burning iln of the tunnel ty e, having a track for tunnel cars extending ong'itudinally therethrough, of-.an exterior track for tunnel cars arranged alongside of the kiln and substantially .parallel thereto, a form ing machine, an off-bearing belt extending transversely overv sai-d exterior trackk and above the level ofthe tunnel cars thereon,k

said belt being disposed substantially perpendicular to the kiln and adjacent to the centralportion of its length, transfer means at each end of the kiln for transferring tunnel cars between the exterior track and the kiln track, a drier located in alignment with ,and enclosing a portion of the exterior track between the olf-bearing belt and one f said transfer means and an unloading platform located adjacent to the off-bearing and above the level .of the tunnelcars there- 10. In a plant for manufacturing stiff mud ceramic products, the combination with a burning kiln of the tunnel type, having a track for tunnel cars extending longitudinally therethrough, fan exterior track' for tunnel cars, transferring vmeans ateach end of the kiln for, transferring tunnel cars between the exterior tracks and the kiln track,

of a, forming machine located adjacent to {said exterior tracks, and a drier locatedin line with and enclosinga portion of the exterior tracks,A the portion of the exterior tracks between the` forming machine and the discharge end'of the drier being without interruption whereby a kiln load of moist bricks may be moved directly into and mad 12. A brick-'manufacturing lant comprising a long kiln, a dryer, a bric factory, and

an unloading zone located and aligned at one side of said kiln, and a sin le circuit fendless track system having su stantiall strai ht parallel runs, one extended throug said iln andthe other extended ypast said unloading zone and brick factory and 'though said drying kiln. f v

, r13. A brick plant comprisin a long kiln, a track extended throu h said iln, a second track extended along t e'outer sideV of said trucks onv said second noted track, a dryer kiln, av brick factory located for delivery to throu h-which said secondnoted track yis passe and transfers for delivering from the 'l5 delivery end of the firstnoted track tothe receiving end of the second noted track and fm the delivery end of the second noted vtracll; tol the receiving end ofthe first noted trac 14. A brick plant comprisin a long kiln, a track extended throu h-'said iln', a second ,track extended along t e outer side of said kiln, a brick factory located for delivery -to trucks on said' second noted track, a dryer i throu h which said second noted track is passe ,transfers for delivering'from the delivery end of thefirst notedl track tothe re ceiving end of the 'second'noted track and from the'delivery end of thesecpnd noted track to the receiving end lof the first notedA track, and an unloading zone or platform adjacent said brick factory and along the receivingend portion of said second noted track.

. In testimony whereof I alli; my signature.

WILLIAM .LEE HANLEnJa 

